


This one's for the torn down

by lestibournes



Series: Did you see the sparks filled with hope? [2]
Category: Cosmere - Brandon Sanderson, Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Missing Scene, Other, both dox's and elend's povs, i'm sorry if it's a bit confusing djkhbvfg, kelsier mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:14:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23076877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lestibournes/pseuds/lestibournes
Summary: Elend and Dockson finally had a heart-to-heart, sort of. (set before WoA chapter 30)
Series: Did you see the sparks filled with hope? [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1652455
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	This one's for the torn down

Elend Venture had lost the throne and tomorrow the parliamentary council would decide if he deserved to have the title of king back or not.

Dockson cursed to himself. He sat at his desk in the Venture library, furiously transcribing important notes and ledgers for the new king shall Venture fail to reclaim the throne. 

“Damnation, Kell,” Dockson whispered, his hand moving fast on the paper. “Why do I always have to clean up everyone’s messes? First you, and then Elend Venture.” However, complaining would get him nowhere, especially since there was no one here to listen to him anymore.

Someone barged into his office. Though never really an excellent fighter, Dockson had years of experience and his instinct served him well. He dropped everything and his hand quickly moved to the dagger he hid under his desk, ready to use it if the circumstance required it.

However, it was only Elend Venture.

“May I be of assistance, Your Majesty?” Dockson asked, still tense. “Your Majesty? Dox, I’m not a king anymore.” _Believe it or not, I remember all too well._ Dockson thought to himself. He found it hard to call Elend Venture by his name when he was present. It was petty, but Dockson didn’t want to acknowledge his position within the crew. _Not since Kell is gone._

Everyone said Dockson was usually joyful, but Elend didn’t see it. He suspected that his laughter died that day when Kelsier the Survivor did. “I came for more books. I’m surprised I haven’t moved all the books to my room already.” Elend tried to lighten up the mood, but failed, for Dockson remained his serious expression. 

“Help yourself then,” Dockson mumbled, voice so low Elend could barely hear him. His focus turned back on the notebooks he was apparently working on before Elend’s interruption. 

“Do you think I am a fool for letting myself get deposed?” Elend asked abruptly. Dockson raised an eyebrow. “Honestly?” “Always.” 

Dockson put down his quill, finally looking Elend directly. His eyes cold as ice. “Yes. I think you a fool for even _risking_ letting yourself get disposed.” Elend expected this, but still he felt like as if someone had slapped him. “We earned you this kingdom and you lost it.” He shook his head. Elend stood there, dumbfounded. 

“Well, I…” Elend said quietly. “As I said, I won’t be an exception to my own laws.” It was what he’d been preparing for all his life, this moment, to finally prove himself. And he did prove himself, by writing laws so flawless he couldn’t find a loophole to make himself king again. How ironic. 

“And what are laws good for when they could be used to shove us back into tyranny?” Dockson said coldly, obviously trying to keep his voice level. _He had a point._ Elend thought. “I don’t want to lose my crown, but it is the right thing to do.” 

“We shouldn’t have put a nobleman on the throne in the first place,” Dockson said in a bitter tone. 

Ever since the night Vin killed the Lord Ruler and Elend himself ended up as king, he had been feeling like he lived under Kelsier’s shadow. And Dockson was the major source of that insecurity. Other crew members seemed to take Elend in rather effortlessly. For Dockson though, it was harder. Elend knew his own very existence served as an acute reminder for Dockson that Kelsier was gone.

“I am sorry, Dockson, truly, for what you had lost,” Elend said softly. For a second, he thought Dockson was crying. But he just sat there, expressionless, as if a statue. “Me being king at least gave the new kingdom a bit legitimacy. We can’t change the laws now just so I can be king.” 

“We must do better than the Lord Ruler.” Elend continued to say. His voice sounded defiant, like a child’s. But he suddenly felt so small. Was he really going to risk his people’s wellbeing so his conscience remained intact? 

Elend rubbed his eyes. He’d hardly slept well for days. “You look worn out.” Dockson pointed out. “Yeah well, there’s always another book to read–“ Dockson’s lips curved in a way that could almost pass as a smile. It lasted for a mere second then his face turned cold again. 

“Vin told me.” Dockson said quietly, voice somehow trembled yet so clear.” that Kell saved you. Before he died.” Suddenly Dockson felt so tired, so tired it seemed too much effort to continue speaking. But he did anyway. “Kelsier should have been here, not you.” _There, he said it._

His demons, they came back to haunt him so often. If Kelsier had chosen to save the Venture boy at the end, had Dockson been too harsh on him? Should he not have wanted to see the nobility suffer so badly? Had he become a monster while claiming he fought for justice?

“Vin has always wanted us to get along.” Elend nodded, looking solemn. 

Dockson looked down at his hands, finding it hard to even look at Elend’s direction. His hands looked like the hands of a farmer or a craftsman, not hands that only wielded a pen now. _Oh Lord, if I hadn’t been brave before, let me be brave now. Let me have the courage to do what is right._

“But I can’t," He let out at last, still found himself too broken to mend now that Kelsier was dead.

“I know,” Elend heaved a heavy sigh. “And I don’t blame you.” He cast a last glance at Dockson, and then left the library empty-handed.


End file.
